Visakhapatnam: The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) has approved the proposal to establish a health city on 7.68 acres of land near the industrial hubs of Parawada and Atchuthapuram, which are hotspots of pharmaceutical and other industries. The initiative aims to provide timely medical facilities to people during industrial mishaps.
Frequent industrial accidents in Parawada and Atchuthapuram have highlighted the urgent need for better medical care, as the victims would otherwise need to be transported to Vizag city, which is about 40-50 km away from these industries. This follows the establishment of a similar health city project in Arilova in Vizag city, where govt allocated land for various private hospitals.
In the recent years, the industrial clusters of Anakapalli district witnessed a spate of accidents. There are 17 categories of highly polluting units within the jurisdiction of the district, including 129 pharmaceutical industries, two pesticide industries, three sugar industries, one aluminium plant, and one thermal power plant. As many as 271 red category industries are in the district. Over the past decade, approximately 100 people have died in various industrial accidents including explosions, fires, toxic releases, and others.
Speaking to TOI, VMRDA chairperson Pranav Gopal, who has completed 100 days in office, said that the proposal was made to provide immediate and best possible treatment to victims, considering recent experiences with industrial mishaps.
“Transportation would be eased for the victims, who would not need to go to Visakhapatnam for multi-speciality care,” said Pranav.
He added that the VMRDA launched development works worth 189 crore in the last three months.
“The urban development authority has focused on creating both public amenities and developmental initiatives. For example, the VMRDA is developing middle income group (MIG) layouts in various parts of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Vizianagaram districts to provide plots to the public at lower-than-market rates. Similarly, parks and roads are being developed to improve public convenience. We are also working on implementing a beach erosion prevention project in association with Union govt with 200 crore. At the same time, initiatives like the multilevel car parking facility in Siripuram, which is nearing completion, adventure gaming initiatives launched at Kailasagiri, the soon-to-be-launched glass bridge, the helicopter museum in progress, and the proposed Urban Habitat Centre in Rushikonda will enhance Vizag image,” narrated Pranav.
“In view of the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport, the VMRDA has planned 15 master-plan roads that will improve connectivity to the airport from Vizag city. The initiative will open or develop 15 roads, including some greenfield roads, to ensure smooth vehicular access to the airport by providing alternative routes that bypass the city’s congested roads,” the VMRDA chairperson added.
